- Minister Ioana Mihaila meets Vice President Christian Kettel Thomsen
- Working meeting with EIB financing and health experts to discuss EIB backing for hospital investment in Iasi, Cluj and Craiova and opportunities for enhanced EIB financial and technical support for future health investment across Romania, including support to the soon-to-created Agency for Health Infrastructure Investments.
Romanian Health Minister Ioana Mihaila today visited the Luxembourg headquarters of the European Investment Bank to identify new opportunities to increase EIB support for health investment and strengthen health sector resilience to pandemics like COVID-19 across Romania.
The working meeting with Christian Kettel Thomsen, EIB Vice President responsible for Romania, and financing, technical and advisory experts from the EIB provided an opportunity to discuss EIB financial and best-practice support for regional hospital investment in Iasi, Cluj and Craiova.
The Minister’s delegation were also updated on the EIB’s unique experience backing high-impact health projects across Europe.
“Investment in Romania’s hospitals and health infrastructure is crucial to improve public health, address challenges from COVID-19 and better protect Romanians from future pandemics through high-impact investment based on international best-practice. Today’s meeting with European Investment Bank financing and health experts provides a crucial opportunity to strengthen cooperation between Romania and the EIB. I look forward to deepening discussions with Vice President Thomsen and his colleagues to enable Romania to fully benefit from additional financing and technical support available from the EIB in the years ahead.” said Ioana Mihaila, Romanian Health Minister.
“Specialised hospital care and medical treatment for 3.2 million people in north-eastern Romania will be transformed by the EUR 250 million European Investment Bank’s support for the construction of a new regional hospital in the country’s second largest city, Iasi. The new 27-year loan represents the EIB’s largest ever support for healthcare in Romania. In the coming months we expect to finalise new financing for two regional hospitals in Cluj and Craiova. My EIB colleagues and I are pleased to welcome Health Minister Mihaila to the EIB headquarters and to provide an update on current cooperation and opportunities for enhanced EIB support for health services and hospital investment in Romania. I look forward to visiting Bucharest next month to further deepen our dialogue and announce large new support for priority investment in Romania.” said Christian Kettel Thomsen, European Investment Bank Vice President.
Accelerating investment in new hospitals across Romania
The new hospital in Iasi will provide specialised hospital care and medical treatment in north-eastern Romania and will also help to strengthen public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic and improve preparedness against future pandemics.
The EIB is currently appraising possible financing for two other regional hospitals in Romania in Cluj and Craiova, with financing agreements expected to be finalised later this year. The hospital will be co-financed by EU structural funds and by a State contribution.
All three projects have benefitted from an extensive advisory and technical assistance package provided by EIB experts and included support for the development of feasibility studies, advice on project implementation and on the optimal use of EU funds.
New EIB support for health investment across Romania will improve the quality and efficiency of acute, secondary and tertiary medical treatment, using the latest technology and healthcare expertise and increasing access to quality healthcare.
Strengthening health investment alongside backing priority investment across Romania
The European Investment Bank is owned directly by the 27 EU member states and in 2020 the EIB Group provided of EUR 809 million new support for COVID-19 resilience, education, water, energy efficiency and private investment in Romania.
